Embedded Files
Introduction
Introduction
In this learning sequence, we are going to be looking at ecosystems to find out more about how plants and animals within an ecosystem interact.
Inquiry questions and intentions
Inquiry questions and intentions
Inquiry question:
How do the living things within an ecosystem relate to each other?
Learning intentions:
To understand how plants and animals interact in an ecosystem.
To be able to use food chains and food webs.
About:
Every living organism needs energy. In an ecosystem, plants and animals rely on each other for energy. Organisms interact and use available resources such as food, space, light, heat, water, air and shelter. Any changes in the natural balance of an ecosystem can affect food chains and populations of organisms present.
Background information
Background information
An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with their physical environment. It includes all the living things (biotic factors) in a given area, and with their non-living environments (abiotic factors).
The physical surroundings of an ecosystem affect the type of organisms present. Food chains and food webs can be used to show how living things get their energy and nutrients in an ecosystem.
As a scientist, it is important to study these relationships to get a better understanding of how animals and plants live together so we can protect the natural balance and diversity of these ecosystems.
Activity 1: Exploring food chains
Activity 1: Exploring food chains
Task 1 - Food chains and food webs video
Task 1 - Food chains and food webs video
Watch the video Food Chains & Food Webs and then complete the check your understanding activity below.
Food chains and food webs
Duration: 3:01
Check your understanding by dragging the definitions from the bottom to match the terms, then select Check.
Task 2 - Examples of food chains
Task 2 - Examples of food chains
In your workbook, complete an example of a food chain for a:
land (or terrestrial) ecosystem
marine ecosystem
A sample diagram is below.
Under the diagram of the ecosystem, list 3 factors that might disrupt its natural balance.
Task 3 - Do you know?
Task 3 - Do you know?
Answer these quick knowledge check questions. (Select the correct answer and then click the blue Check button.)
Activity 2: Building food chains
Activity 2: Building food chains
Task 1 - Building food chains interactive
Task 1 - Building food chains interactive
Click on the food chain image to open the interactive 'Build a food chain' activity on the CSERC website.
Build each of the food chains.
Task 2 - The roles in a food chain
Task 2 - The roles in a food chain
In your exercise book or folder, answer the following questions:
Why is the producer the first organism in a food chain?
Why can’t a herbivore, carnivore or omnivore be the first organism in a food chain?
What kind of consumer are you? Explain your answer.
Why is it important to have decomposers in the soil?
Task 3 - Coral reefs
Task 3 - Coral reefs
Click on the image to navigate to the webpage 'Energy flow in the coral reef ecosystem' from PBS Media and watch the video.
In your exercise book or folder, use information from the video to construct as many food chains as you can.
Remember to always start with a plant!
Task 4 - Different types of consumers
Task 4 - Different types of consumers
We can describe a food chain in more detail by identifying different kinds of consumers.
Complete the following tasks in your exercise book or folder.
Write or draw a food chain for a terrestrial (land) ecosystem.
Write or draw a food chain for a freshwater ecosystem.
Are humans primary, secondary and/or tertiary consumers? Explain your answer.
In the ocean light only penetrates down to about 200m. How would organisms living at greater depths get their food?
Next, test your understanding by completing this quick knowledge check!
Drag the image to the correct label, then click on the blue Check button.
Task 5 - A rainforest ecosystem
Task 5 - A rainforest ecosystem
The soil in the Amazon basin provides enough nutrients for a dense rainforest to thrive. Answer this question in your exercise book or folder.
When the rainforest is cleared for farming, the soil loses its fertility in a few years. Why would this be?
Activity 3: Investigating food webs
Activity 3: Investigating food webs
The Food Web
Duration: 3:38
Task 1 - The food web video
Task 1 - The food web video
Watch the video showing an example of a food web in the Everglades, Florida, USA.
Complete the following exercises in your exercise book or folder.
What does a food web show?
How is a primary consumer different from a secondary consumer?
What do you think would happen in this food web if there were no longer any apple snails and sailfin mollys? Explain your answer.
What might happen if a python was introduced into this food web?
Task 2 - An Arctic food web
Task 2 - An Arctic food web
Answer the following questions about the Arctic web in your exercise book or folder.
In the Arctic food web name
the producer
a primary consumer
a secondary consumer
a tertiary consumer
How does each of these animals in the Arctic food web obtain its energy and nutrients?
arctic cod
polar bear
arctic birds
killer whale
What could be the effect in the Arctic food web if people hunting seals killed a large number of them? Explain your answer.
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Extension - Further explorations
Extension - Further explorations
Local ecosystems
Local ecosystems
Complete a study of one of your local ecosystems.
Make observations and scientific drawings of some of the plants and animals present.
To help with your diagrams, select the 'Scientific Drawing Guidelines' button.
Habitat tree
Habitat tree
Go for a walk in the bush or your local park and find a habitat tree.
A habitat tree is an old tree that might have cracks in the bark, hollows, nests, spider webs, other plants, fungi or mosses growing over it, and other visible habitat. Draw and label your habitat tree and think about the types of animals and plants that live in, on and around the tree eg possums, gliders, owls, birds, microbats, spiders, lichen, ferns, insects and bugs. Make a photo collage of your habitat tree or write a short story about the life of the tree and all its visitors.
NSW Ecosystems on Show
NSW Ecosystems on Show
Explore the NSW Ecosystems on Show website embedded below.
What are some of the issues related to conservation of an ecosystem around where you live?
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton (phyto – plant, plankton – wanderer) are the foundation of ocean food webs as the primary producers. They are eaten by everything from microscopic Zooplankton (zoo - animal, plankton – wanderer) to whales.
Why do you think phytoplankton are sometimes called the most important organisms on Earth?
Handing in your work
Handing in your work
Don't forget to hand in the work you completed today!
Your teacher will have told you to do one of the following:
Upload any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your Learning Management system (MS Teams, Google Classroom for example).
Email any digital documents you created and any photos you took of your written work to your teacher.
Make sure you keep any hand written work you did in your exercise book or folder as your teacher may need to see these when you are back in class.
Student reflection
Student reflection
Show how do you feel about today’s learning.
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